


5 times Tony kissed Rhodey and the one time Rhodey kissed back

by lomku



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: 5+1 Things, Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Hurt Tony Stark, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark Friendship, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark at MIT, James "Rhodey" Rhodes is a Good Bro, M/M, One Shot, Oops, POV James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Pining, Pining Tony Stark, but it turned angsty on its own, i tried to write only fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-27
Updated: 2019-11-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:21:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21586786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lomku/pseuds/lomku
Summary: Exactly what it says in the title.
Relationships: James "Rhodey" Rhodes/Tony Stark
Comments: 27
Kudos: 265





	5 times Tony kissed Rhodey and the one time Rhodey kissed back

**Author's Note:**

> I decided to do my civic duty and write an ironhusbands fic. Enjoy!

The first time was an accident, really. Rhodey and Tony had known each other for a few months only, having barely come to a point where they weren’t inadvertently riling the other up. It had been though at first, sleeping in the same dorm room, when they at first glance were so different from one another. Tony, the typical embodiment of the rich kid, and Rhodey, the straight-laced headed-straight-to-the-army type.

It had taken a few days before they had a conversation that lasted longer than five minutes. It had started very wrong, with Rhodey making an off-handed comment about the amount of money Tony’s parents had had to pay to get him into MIT at such a young age, and Tony immediately snapping that Rhodey’s dumb brain couldn’t even begin to comprehend the things that Tony had already invented. From that, the shouting match was on, and after they had insulted each other in more and more creative ways, it had devolved into a contest to prove who was the smartest, with both of them spitting fomulas and increasingly complex concepts at each other. Tony had won, of course, after a six-minute-long tirade about how he was going to create the world’s first Artificial Intelligence. Rhodey had been too stunned about the sheer genius _(_ Tony made something straight out of sci-fi books sound _possible!_ ) of the 16-year-old kid in front of him to reply. They had stared at each other then, both unmoving for a long time.

After they begrudgingly agreed that they were both smarter than they had thought, they became fast friends. Don’t ask Rhodey how it happened, because he wouldn’t have been able to pin-point the exact moment they shifted from reluctant roommates to best friends. The process was gradual, but also incredibly fast. Not one week after their screaming match, they were already partying and getting drunk together. Maybe it was because they had realised they were more alike than they thought, maybe it was because they had gained respect for each other. Anyways, what mattered was that they were friends.

Friends who, apparently, kissed each other on the lips.

It happened like this: Tony had been caught up in one of his projects, trying and failing repeatedly to make his rudimentary robot respond to vocal input. Rhodey was trying to will his hangover away by solving a mechanics problem when he heard Tony huff from across the room.

“I can’t believe I’ve spent three hours sitting in this stupid chair, trying to get this stupid robot to even acknowledge that I’ve been speaking to him! What’s wrong with you, huh? Your sound receptors are brand-new, and I’ve debugged your code at least six times!”

The robot rolled back and forth, camera turned towards the ground. It almost looked like the robot was _ignoring_ Tony, Rhodey mused.

“Maybe you’re just too stupid to react. Dummy.”

The robot whipped its camera around, stopping with the rolling, and Tony gasped.

“Are you… Did you just… Dummy?”

A whirring noise.

“Oh my god, you wanted a _name_! I can’t believe it! Come here, dummy! No wait, it has to sound more robot-like. What about DUM-E?” Tony crooned.

The robot rolled in a small circle, still whirring.

Rhodey had been staring at them for quite some time, too entranced with Tony making a break-through to think about torques and Newtonian laws. Tony laughed, clapping his hands together and glowing with happiness, all the frustration from before having completely vanished. He looked at Rhodey then, smiling sunnily.

“I did it, Rhodey! We need to celebrate this!”

He walked up to Rhodey, who groaned, because he really didn’t want to party just yet, seeing he was still hungover as hell, and started shaking his head, just as Tony leaned down, and kissed him on the lips.

The kiss itself was over just as fast as it had begun, whith Tony drawing back and gasping. His eyes were wide and his cheeks red when he looked at Rhodey, who was completely frozen on his chair. They stared at each other, until Tony’s throat clicked and he blurted out:

“I’m so sorry, I wanted to kiss you on the cheek, I used to do this at home, oh God please don’t be mad I didn’t mean anything by it I swear— and you turned your head and the next thing I knew I was kissing you and please shut me up before this gets any more embarrassing than this already—”

“Okay.”

Rhodey’s voice was surprisingly steady, considering his friend had just kissed him.

“Okay. Just—I need a minute. Okay. That, that just happened.”

He didn’t know what he was supposed to do in these kind of situations. Was he supposed to make a joke? Get offended? Proclaim high and loud that he wasn’t gay? (but that wouldn’t be entirely true, would it?)

“It’s fine, Tony. Don’t worry about it.”

Or, he could say that. Okay. Pretty lame, but neutral, right? That wasn’t encouraging or dismissive in any way, right? Wait, why was he overthinking this so much?

When Rhodey looked up at Tony again, he had retreated to his bed, smiling nervously and not quite looking Rhodey in the eye.

“Yeah, okay, thank you— I mean sorry!”

They didn’t talk more that evening, and the next day, they pretended it had never happened.

* * *

The second time, it wasn’t an accident. Not at all, really. They were at a party, Rhodey celebrating getting his bachelor’s degree, Tony celebrating his master. They were both well on their way to black-out drunk, which was why they had thought that playing truth and dare with a bunch of other drunks was a splendid idea. Which it wasn’t, of course.

It was Tony’s turn, and of course, he chose dare. He always chose dare. Not that Rhodey was judging, because from what little Tony had told him of his life, he had understood that some things were better kept hidden.

Anyways.

Tony had chosen dare, and now that cute girl was telling him to kiss the prettiest in the room. She was obviously hoping he would kiss her, maybe take things a little further after the game, what with how she was batting her eyelashes at Tony. Rhodey barely repressed a snort, because with Tony, there was just as much probability he would make out with the curtains than with the girl. Tony liked to be unpredictable like that.

But Tony just put his beer down, said “okay”, turned to the side and kissed Rhodey fully on the lips. A warmth on his mouth, the barest hint of wetness on his lower lip, and then Tony was out of his personal bubble, taking a swig from his beer.

Tony looked at the stunned faces surrounding him, leering:

“What? Rhodey’s totally the prettiest in this room. I did what you asked, Stephanie.”

And he was right, wasn’t he? So the game continued, and nobody mentioned it.

That morning, after they had stumbled into their room, Rhodey remembered he wanted to ask something to Tony.

“Hey, Tones?” he slurred, ”why’d you kiss me? You could’ve gotten laid with that chick.”

“Yeah, but she wasn’ the prettiest in the room.”

Tony feel asleep before Rhodey could ask him what he meant by that.

* * *

The third time was…not unpleasant, but not quite nice either. Tony and Rhodey were at a party—again—getting drunk— _again_ —and celebrating that their studies were over. Rhodey would start his military training in a month, and Tony was to start running America’s most successful weapons constructor next week. All this to say: they were enjoying their last care-free days.

Well, _trying_ to enjoy, that is. Because Tony sure as hell wasn’t looking as if he was enjoying himself. He was talking to a blonde guy who had put his hand on Tony’s hip in a too-familiar manner. Tony was clearly irritated and asking the guy to politely _fuck off,_ but he was ignoring the hints, just leaning closer.

Rhodey didn’t like it.

He didn’t like the almost predatory gleam in the blonde’s eyes. Didn’t like the way Tony was looking around for exits. Didn’t like that someone was getting so close to Tony without his consent.

Tony was known for his promiscuity, regularly spending nights with strangers, be it men or women. But he never forced himself on anyone, never stayed after he was unwanted. He had told Rhodey once, while the latter was carrying him to bed after a particularly crazy night, that consent was the most important thing in any sexual encounter. If Rhodey had had any doubts about Tony’s morals regarding that matter, they had been squashed to dust after the impassioned drunken rant from the younger man. He really hadn’t needed _that_ many details about how enthusiastic Tony’s lovers were. But the point was, that Tony respected a no.

Something the blonde guy clearly didn’t.

Rhodey stalked up to Tony’s side, glaring at the guy. Tony looked to the side, relief in his eyes when he saw that Rhodey was there. He immediately plastered himself against Rhodey’s side, putting a gentle hand on Rhodey’s cheek to turn his head and kiss him, a quick peck on the lips. Rhodey didn’t have the time to show his surprise before Tony turned back to the guy, smiling sweetly at him.

“Have you met my boyfriend? We just got together.”

Oh.

Rhodey was almost disappointed for a second when he realised that Tony had only kissed him for show.

Wait a minute. _Disappointed_? _Why would I be_ disappointed _?_

Unknowing of Rhodey’s internal monologue, Tony put his arm around Rhodey’s waist, leaning ostensibly into him. The guy frowned at them, made a hasty excuse about getting a drink, and disappeared.

_Good_ , Rhodey thought.

Tony didn’t pull his arm away, and Rhodey didn’t comment on it. He put his own arm around Tony’s shoulders, and they got back to drinking and talking.

Rhodey tried to convince himself that he hadn’t pulled away because he wanted to be sure that Tony wouldn’t get bothered anymore, but he couldn’t deny that the firm pressure against his side, the light weight of a hand on his hip, felt good.

It was nice. Just… _nice_.

* * *

The fourth time was Rhodey’s least favourite time. It was frankly awful. Not because Tony was a bad kisser or anything, and _what was Rhodey’s life that he could judge from first-hand experience how good a kisser Tony was—_ but the context was… less than good.

It went like this: Rhodey was going to go on his first active-duty mission, to Afghanistan. On the most dangerous base. Where three American soldiers had died recently.

To say that Tony hadn’t taken the news well would be an understatement. Their evening together had started well enough, lounging in the enormous living room of Tony’s Malibu mansion. Tony had given Rhodey a glass of scotch, taken one for himself, and listened as Rhodey had explained that he was going abroad. But when he heard exactly where he was supposed to go, his eyes had flashed with something strangely resembling fear. It had really gone downhill from there.

Tony had started drinking in earnest, trying to persuade Rhodey to stay in the US, even if they both knew it didn’t work like that. But Tony wasn’t even rational anymore, muttering about Rhodey getting himself killed and about something breaking. Rhodey sighed, about to leave Tony to his incomprehensible muttering, when Tony grabbed his arm.

“Don’t—don’t leave. Please. I don’t—you can’t die, Rhodey. It’s… I wouldn’t survive it. Can’t you see it? Don’t you understand what I’m saying? If you die, I won’t survive. And I know, I _know_ that you’re part of the air force, that it’s your job, but it wasn’t really real until now. I could… I could just _not_ think about what being a soldier means, but now you’re going and its’—I…”

He let out a shuddering breath, looking down at his glass before downing it in one go.

“I, uh, I shouldn’t say this, and I’ll probably regret this in the morning, but I can’t let you go without at least trying to explain why I feel like this. I… Fuck. You have to understand, James, I tried to ignore it, but it’s hopeless. Didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable—or more uncomfortable than I already made you those times— but I think you figured it out a long time ago, so why not talk about the elephant in the room? I—What I’m _trying_ to say is that I’ve been in love with you for more than fifteen years, and that’s the truth.”

Rhodey stopped breathing, his chest suddenly aching.

It didn’t—It wasn’t possible. It was absurd, did not compute. Tony had never said anything, had never hinted that…

But that wasn’t true, was it? He’d never _said_ anything, but he had showed it. All those friendly touches, those maybe-not-so-accidental kisses, the kind words and thinly veiled compliments, the too-intense moments they had shared… Of _course_ Tony loved him. It was almost obvious, now that he thought back to all those times.

“And I know that you don’t feel the same way,” Tony continued, “and it’s fine, I made my peace with that a long time ago, and really, what was I expecting, you told me yourself that you saw me as a younger brother, and wow, _gross_ , Tony, but I couldn’t just turn it off, and I’m sorry if you didn’t want to hear this, but I…I need you to know. Just, please, don’t die. Please don’t die. I’m sorry I told it like this. And I’m sorry for this, too.”

Tony stood up, put one of his hands on the back of Rhodey’s head, the other clutching tightly at his shirt. He looked Rhodey in the eyes, letting his emotion show through his own. There was fear there, and great sadness, before he slipped his eyes closed. He kissed Rhodey then, and Rhodey didn’t move, let Tony kiss him, a slow slide of lips, his breath ghosting over Rhodey’s mouth for a few seconds after he drew back.

Tony didn’t say a word as he left the living room.

Rhodey stayed on the same spot for a long time, trying to get the heavy feeling off his chest.

* * *

The fifth time was tainted with too many regrets to be anything but bittersweet. It happened in Afghanistan, just a few hours before Tony got kidnapped.

Rhodey had been in and out of the US several times already since Tony’s confession, and Tony had never acted like that time again. Rhodey hadn’t known what to tell him when he saw Tony after he came back from Afghanistan that first time. Tony had refused to talk about that night, saying he didn’t remember anything, which was a lie, since he hadn’t been nearly drunk enough to even slur during his confession. Rhodey hadn’t insisted, and he still hated himself a little bit for that. He should have talked to Tony about it, because you couldn’t just say that you’ve loved someone for 15 years and then pretend you didn’t say anything. But Tony was stubborn and Rhodey didn’t even know what he thought of Tony’s words. Rhodey had never really let himself fall for anyone in college, because he had wanted to put his studies and career first. But now that he thought of it, he liked Tony, and maybe a little more than what was considered strictly platonic. The problem was that he had closed that door without even trying, every time he hadn’t kissed Tony back. He’d had so many opportunities, and never done something about it, and now Tony had confessed, clearly expecting to be rejected again. And Rhodey hadn’t rejected him, but he hadn’t reassured Tony either. Hadn’t even said that he wouldn’t stop being Tony’s friend. Had just stood there, mute, not even looking at Tony.

What kind of conclusion did Tony draw from that?

Did Tony think that Rhodey was uncomfortable being in his presence now?

Was that why they didn’t see each other as often now? Why Tony often had to cancel their plans last-minute with some “urgent business”?

Was Tony distancing himself from Rhodey?

At least Rhodey had flown with Tony to the Jericho missile demonstration. Funny how it was in Afghanistan, not far from where Rhodey was first stationed. The demonstration, if successful, would secure a high income for SI for the next five years, at least. It was the deal of a lifetime, and Rhodey knew that Tony was nervous, even if he didn’t show it from across the Humvee. No, the man in front of him was every inch Tony Stark TM, joking and making innuendos to the soldiers riding with them. When the vehicle stopped at the demonstration site, Tony waited until the others had gotten off the Humvee, saying he needed to have a word with Colonel Rhodes.

Tony looked at Rhodey for a few seconds, mumbled “fuck it” under his breath, then leaned across the Humvee and kissed Rhodey softly, not exactly on the lips, but right next to them, on the corner of his mouth. His smile was brittle when he told Rhodey:

“For good luck.”

Three hours later, Rhodey woke up in a medical bay with a bullet wound in his arm and the news that Tony had disappeared.

* * *

Three months.

Three months, that was how long it took for Rhodey to find Tony. And he didn’t even save him, no, Tony had to break out of a terrorist camp all by himself and then walk in the scorching desert for hours before Rhodey got there.

Those three months had been the longest of Rhodey’s life. Every day, fighting with his superiors to continue the search, taking some helicopters and flying endlessly above mountains, trying to see anything out of the ordinary; trying to gather intelligence that never gave fruit; waking up and dreading to hear the news of the team that searched during the night, because _what if they had found Tony’s corpse_ ; not being able to breathe every time they encountered a body with dark hair and pale skin, not until he was sure it wasn’t Tony. He hadn’t given up hope because he had to find Tony, had to bring him home. Tony couldn’t be the one to die in Afghanistan, couldn’t come back in a coffin and a letter saying KIA, it wasn’t supposed to be like that.

He wasn’t a soldier, not like Rhodey.

So Rhodey refused to listen to the people telling him to give up, urging him to stop putting his career in danger, to stop this craziness. Every day he searched for Tony, and every day he regretted a new thing.

Regretted not telling Tony he was one of the best men he knew, even with all his flaws.

Regretted not showing his affection more.

Regretted not bringing up that confession all those years ago.

Regretted not telling Tony the feelings might be reciprocated.

Regretted never kissing Tony back.

He couldn’t sleep, was on the brink of a mental breakdown, but he pushed his limits further and further, not letting himself rest before he had Tony again. He needed to make things right, needed to fix this. Needed to tell Tony how he felt.

Three months before he saw a lone figure wandering in the desert. He hadn’t dared to hope, not until Tony was there, solid and real, in his arms, breathing, _alive_. Dehydrated, bloody, smelling of fire and destruction and with lines on his face that hadn’t been there before, but alive.

They had hugged, and cried, and Rhodey had not left Tony’s side since the moment he dropped down in the sand.

Tony’s injuries hinted at something more than he was telling the soldiers, but Rhodey chose not to ask questions when he caught Tony’s haunted look.

Tony refused to take off his shirt unless he was in a private room, with doctors sworn to secrecy, and Rhodey. It became apparent why when he revealed the _glowing machine in his CHEST (!!!!)._ Rhodey couldn’t take his eyes off it. There was something _alien_ in Tony. Something that shouldn’t be there, something that apparently kept Tony _alive_ by preventing shrapnel from entering Tony’s heart—and that was so wrong on so many levels, and Rhodey was simultaneously horrified by its purpose and in awe of Tony’s resourcefulness and genius. It was obvious that Tony should have died a long time ago, that it was only thanks to Tony’s quick-witted mind that he was sitting there, on the bed, talking to the doctors.

Rhodey wasn’t a believer, but he nonetheless thanked every deity for Tony’s safe return.

It was… it was a miracle. A second chance. He wanted to cry again, overwhelmed by the sheer relief that Tony was alive, his gratefulness that he was _still there_.

When Rhodey had blinked back the tears, he noticed the doctors were gone and Tony was looking at him, smiling that brittle smile again.

“Hey, honeybear, I’m here, I’m okay. It’s going to be okay, I’m not leaving you,” he said gently, taking Rhodey’s hand in his.

And Rhodey’s whole being focused on that warm and rough touch, and he knew he had to say something now, or he would never say it.

“Tony, I—That’s my line. I need to tell you this. I’m so—I’m so _fucking_ sorry I couldn’t protect you, so sorry you had to live through those months, and I don’t even know what happened, but I can see you suffered. And I would never want that for you. I want—I want you to be happy, live a good life, Tony, and maybe I haven’t said this enough, but I have to say it now, and you mean—you mean so fucking much to me. You’ve been in my life for more than twenty years and I’ve only just realised how important you are to me. You said that you wouldn’t survive if I died—you were gone for three months, and every day I felt I was dying a little more inside. If you—If you hadn’t made it, Tony, I would have withered away. I wouldn’t have survived either. I can’t—I can’t live without you, and I never knew until you were gone.”

He sobbed, trying to keep his voice steady.

“I need you, Tony, just as much as you need me. We’re together, you hear me? We’ll always do things together from now on. No riding in different cars, no cancelling our nights out. I’ll be there for you. I’ll catch you if you fall, and you’ll catch me if I fall. There’s no you and me, there’s only us.”

“James…” It was a sigh, so soft, so tender.

“I love you, Tony, and I’m so angry it took this for me to realise it. You hear me? I love you. _I love you too._ ”

His heart was hammering. One beat in his chest and Tony was looking at him, those expressive eyes round and surprised. The next beat, they were kissing. It wasn’t soft, it wasn’t harsh, it was slightly desperate.

It was _I’m so happy you’re alive_ and _I’m sorry I couldn’t find you earlier_ and _I’ve missed you every fucking day_ and _I love you I loveyouIloveyouIloveyou_

It was _I need to feel alive again_ and _I want to go home_ and _I’ve missed you so much_ and _I love you I loveyouIloveyouIloveyou_

Clinging desperately to one another, hands buried in hair and clutching at shoulders, hips, every part accessible.

Shared breaths, open mouths, bitten lips.

After, they just sat next to each other, foreheads touching, eyes closed, hands framing cheeks and jaws, petting, stroking. Breathing each other in, reassuring each other without words.

They were there, alive. It was a new beginning, a second chance.

It was right.

**Author's Note:**

> this was my first time writing romantic content, and with rhodeytony! Hope you liked it!
> 
> please leave a kudo and a comment <3


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